Rachmaninoff: Variations on a Theme of Chopin, Op.22 (Chochieva)

Rachmaninoff's Variations on a Theme of Chopin are often gently disparaged as a juvenile work -- too long, too rambling, too dark and remorseless. Chochieva's stunning performance reveals this work for the masterpiece it truly is. Where other pianists regularly leave out variations (something Rachmaninoff himself often did in performance), Chochieva plays all 22 variations, and brings to them a great deal of air and light (seriously -- all the dark passages are played with such tenderness!), along with breathtaking phrasing, remarkable contrapuntal clarity, and a vivid sense of imagination. Neither is there self-indulgence -- the tempi are brisk, with Chochieva's recording clocking in at about 3 minutes shorter than the average. And thus the Op.22 is revealed not at all as long or rambling, or dark -- instead, it is tightly knit, full of warmth and generosity, one of the most relentlessly beautiful works Rachmaninoff ever produced (listen to those slow variations -- I really don't think that Rachmaninoff, in one work, ever wrote so many pages so replete with such haunting and luminous beauty).

00:00 -- Theme
01:09 -- Var. 1, Moderato [MOVEMENT I]
01:53 -- Var. 2, Allegro
02:08 -- Var. 3
02:23 -- Var. 4
03:12 -- Var. 5, Meno mosso
03:37 -- Var. 6, Meno mosso*
04:40 -- Var. 7, Allegro
04:58 -- Var. 8
05:18 -- Var. 9
05:39 -- Var.10
06:10 -- Var.11, Lento [MOVEMENT II]
07:38 -- Var.12, Moderato
09:44 -- Var.13, Largo
10:58 -- Var.14, Moderato* (Some truly stunning contrapuntal voicing + dynamic control going on here. Note also how carefully constructed this variation is: the middle voice contains figuration that is borrowed from those little twists in the high registers in Var.13)
12:19 -- Var.15, Allegro scherzando
13:41 -- Var.16, Lento* (One of Rachmaninoff's most inspired yet least-known melodies. It sounds destined for a piano concerto of some sort.)
14:50 -- Var.17, Grave
16:24 -- Var.18, Piu mosso
17:14 -- Var.19, Allegro vivace* [MOVEMENT III]
18:27 -- Var.20, Presto
19:33 -- Var.21, Andante* (A gorgeous and rather Brahmsian canon which ends in an powerful transitionary passage to the final variation)
22:10 -- Var 22, Maestoso* (Think of how much this sounds like Lyapunov in the middle section!)

[N]

"If it sounds good, it is good"
-- Duke Ellington
This sounds good. Better than good. Superb!

[Joe_Young_Pianist]

Variation 6 is simply one of the greatest moments in music I have ever had the privilege to hear

[jzajoy]

oh dang i love reading the descriptions. i wonder how one can become so knowledgeable in music and hear all those differences

[johnharrington]

I had no idea these variations were disparaged. This set is a work of incomprehensible genius, IMO.

[Galantski]

"disparaged as a juvenile work"

In reality, this set of variations is of such pianistic prowess and, as you put if, "haunting and luminous beauty" that his critics couldn't hope to write it, even if their lives depended upon it. For me, Rachmaninoff will always be one of the very greatest composers for piano who ever lived.

[amy-zvcf]

Theme: 00:00
Variation 1: 01:09
Variation 2: 01:53
VARIATION 3: 02:08
Variation 4: 02:23
VARIATION 5: 03:12
Variation 6: 03:47
VARIATION 7: 04:40
Variation 8: 04:58
VARIATION 9!: 05:18
VARIATION 10: 05:39
Variation 11: 06:10
Variation 12: 07:38
Variation 13: 09:44
Variation 14: 10:58
VARIATION 15!: 12:19
Variation 16: 13:41
VARIATION 17: 14:50
Variation 18: 16:24
VARIATION 19: 17:14
Variation 20: 18:27
Variation 21: 19:33
VARIATION 22: 22:10

11:45
19:08
21:14
23:10
26:29

[michaelangelohenegan]

Yo sir, are very aware of not only the potential of music, but also of the varying levels of awareness from composer to composer as well as maestro to maestro. There is so much behind the mind and life being each masterpiece, and I have a great deal of respect for you and how aware you are of these hidden treasures within the life of all music. I appreciate both your mind and your taste, and I hope you continue posting some of the worlds greatest music and musicians for a long time.

[conscience]

This piece is anything but juvenile. It is noble and thoughtful, clearly post-dates the 2nd Concerto and Spring, and anticipates much of the piano writing in opus 23 and the First Sonata. And, as ever, it demands vocal phrasing - he had just finished the marvellous opus 21 songs!

[stalkerstomper]

13:41 Variation 16 and 19:34 Variation 21 are of the most pure and melodic of marriages between Chopin and Rachmaninoff. It's more as though Chopin wrote those two variations himself, in Rachmaninoff's style with Sergei's inflections. Rachmaninoff certainly admired and appreciated Chopin's genius and creativity, as I'm sure Chopin would've been moved by Rachmaninoff's unique style that was full of such depth and color.

[ErikCPianoman]

For some reason this variations set reminds me of the Beethoven 32 variations on an original theme in c minor. Thank you for posting and taking the time to edit in the score. This was a pleasure to watch and listen too.

[rmmm]

Wow, the 6th variation is a miracle. And it just gets better

[thepianoman]

The beginning of the first variation seems to echo the start of a Bach fugue.

[ZachOnett]

woah, this piece is incredible. Shame it gets a bad rap. This performance is so sensitive and patient. So grateful to this pianist for bringing this to life.

[grassyknowles]

This is fucking amazing! Got a solid Rachmaniboner!

[tchaffman]

Lol how variation 18 appears to be the most replayed on this entire video because people thought this was the paganini variations but here it's just a random variation of the piece

[gaboelexo]

4:37 the transition from 6 to 7 is just out of this world, literally mad <3

[NovicebutPassionate]

To what Ashish has rightly explained above, I add that these variations reveal some of the compositional techniques and procedures that Rachmaninov used (many of which became his trademark) in his larger works for piano and orchestra, such as his concertos.

[davidrehak]

Szergej Rachmaninov:Variáció egy Chopin témára Op.22
Téma:Largo 00:00
1. variáció:Moderato 01:09
2. variáció: Allegro 01:53
3. variáció 02:09
4. variáció 02:23
5. variáció: Meno mosso 03:12
6. variáció: Meno mosso 03:37
7. variáció: Allegro 04:40
8. variáció 04:58
9. variáció 05:18
10. variáció 05:37
11. variáció: Lento 06:10
12. variáció: Moderato 07:38
13. variáció: Largo 09:44
14. variáció: Moderato 10:58
15. variáció: Allegro scherzando 12:19
16. variáció: Lento 13:41
17. variáció: Grave 14:50
18. variáció: Piú mosso 16:24
19. variáció: Allegro vivace 17:14
20. variáció: Presto 18:27
21. variáció: Andante 19:33
22. variáció: Maestoso 22:10
Zlata Chochieva-zongora

[fidelcastro]

Variation 21 (19:33) is like a conversation between Chopin and Rachmaninoff..

[samynohff]

Chochieva's interpretation is quite fabulous, and so is your comment and analysis to the performance, , Thank you Ashish.